Pick Your Place

When I decide where to go and relax I have many options; I can go to California and visit the coast, I can go to Austin Texas and enjoy the river, I can stay in Dallas and chill on a lake, or I can find one particular harbour and sit by the dock in the bay and watch time fade away (yes, I just worked in a song titles by Jimmy Buffett and Otis Redding). Truly my choice will always be to find a bay or beach and melt into the surroundings and forget who I am and who I'm supposed to be, if not for months, then days will have to do. Something happens when I'm in and around the ocean. Maybe it's my connection with nature, God, or maybe I'm just a beach junkie? I would hope it would be because of a more spiritual connection, or maybe because I am a water sign "Pisces". Now, if you believe in the zodiac thing, as a Pisces, I am supposed to enjoy; escaping from reality, sleeping, romance, swimming, and spiritual themes. That's all pretty true! I did grow up in San Diego California where the ocean and boats were a major part of my upbringing. So, I say we blame my parents for being fortunate enough to plant us in one of the most beautiful cities in the world as our background for the influential time in our life. Remember, when ever in doubt blame you parents, childhood, siblings, and the bad luck you had from birth. So, I'm gonna "Thank" my parents for this bad luck I had at birth to have a loving family and the awesome Pacific Ocean as my personal playground for the best years a kid could ever ask for.

Happy New Year!

Another year in the books and what do you have to show for it? Did you accomplish what you planned, did you become a better person, did you achieve anything different this year? Or did you just do the same thing you have always done, nothing but survive? There were times in my life when surviving was all I could handle, to make it trough each day was a challenge, I didn't have the will power to do anything special. The one thing I did have was faith, and even though that faith was tested daily, I found the strength to put one foot in front of the other and make it through another day. Somehow I believed that if I could just keep on keeping on, I could and would make it through this season of challenges. A season I hoped would not repeat it's self. Everyone goes through different seasons in life, we find ways to make it through the tough times , and see brighter days. The brightest times of our life comes through the darkest times. Usually we are helped out of the darkness by a friend, loved one, or a stranger who comes into our life during that season just to help us along our way. In the up coming year let's make this the year we become that light in some one's life who may only need us to help them out of their darkness, even if it's only for a season. Blessings and best wishes in the New Year!

Festive Sombrero!

Sombrero is Spanish for hats, but you knew that. Many early Texan cowboys adopted the Spanish and Mexican sombrero, also worn by mariachi musicians. Whatever the name, whomever wears it, and wherever they came from the sombrero has been a part of my life for as long as I can remember. Growing up in Southern California and living in Arizona and Texas this hat has always been around. The sombrero is festive, fun, and functional. Every time I travel and come across this hat it reminds me of my past travels through Mexico and South America and all the fun I've had.

I enjoy the little shops on the main streets and ports of call. When you arrive you see sombrero's on carts, in stores, and of course my favorite of all, the street vendor with hats stacked to the sky going tourist to tourist selling his hats. I guess it's my longing for a simpler time, a time when we weren't a slave to our cell phones and obsessed with being connected 24/7. I like not being connected while I travel. Not so concerned with how many "Likes" my last post received. I like just being in the moment and watching local towns people going about their daily lives, doing business the old fashioned way, face to face, and a deal is concluded with a pleasant thank you and a hand shake. The saddest part of traveling is this simpler way of life will one day be gone as the world becomes more and more connected. To me the entire world walking around with a hand held device stuck in their face isn't necessarily something I'm looking forward too. As the world turns and we advance at the speed of light, I plan on slowing down as much as possible. I will continue to see new places, experience new things, and stop to really see the beauty in God's creation without being connected through electronics's but connected through people, face to face.

Hotel El Capitan

This is one of my favorite boutique properties; this historical hotel screams old Texas charm! The El Capitan was built in 1930 by famed architect Henry Trost, who designed and built nearly all the buildings in downtown El Paso Texas between 1910 and 1933. The hotel was converted into the Van Horn State Bank in 1973 after interstate 10 opened which rerouted most of the traffic away from the main street. In 2007 the property was purchased and renovated back into the hotel. The floor plan is the same as the sister hotel, The Paisano in Marfa Texas. If you love Texas and Texas history you'll love this hotel and in the dining room the old bank vault is now the liquor storage behind the bar. The food is as good as the elegant old world rooms. I love this place and I trust you will too!

Amazing Ceiling in Mexico!

This amazing ceiling from the 1800's is found in a mission that now serves as an cultural events center in Ensenada Mexico. I was walking down this narrow hallway between the original mission structure and leading into this ballroom, I looked up and pow! This great handcrafted ceiling, just wonderful.

Life in my rear view mirror

Life in my rear view mirror is just another way to look at the road which has brought us to this point in our life. I was listing to a talk show and they said you can’t look behind you because what’s done is done and you can’t do anything to change it, looking forward is impossible because we can’t see the future, but we have today and that is something we can effect and we have no guarantee’s beyond today, that why it’s call “presence”, what are you going to do with your present, your gift of today? This joke came from Lucid Dreams; on the anniversary of his birth, devotees of a certain yogi asked what gifts they might bring. The yogi replied “I wish no gifts, only presence”.  The point is be thankful for today, it might be your last one….

The Historical El Rancho Hotel

The Historical El Rancho Hotel on Route 66 in Gallup New Mexico, its cowboy classic and Southwestern influences is a blast from the past!  For over 50 years the El Rancho has been a true jewel of the Southwest, once you enter the dramatic foyer you are immediately thrown back into time a time when life was more relaxed and time stands still here. When Hollywood films in the area the stars love to stay here, the list is a who’s who of Hollywood Western Superstars like; Betty Garble, Burt Lancaster, Errol Flynn, Gene Autry, and James Cagney. The El Rancho restaurant is very good serving American and Mexican dishes, yummy! If ever passing through Gallup stop and refresh at the El Rancho Hotel.